Nymphaea zenkeri Red - Red Tiger Lotus
- Submerged-Grown Quality Stronger roots, instant tank success
- Healthy-Plant Guarantee Replace or refund if not perfect
- Express Shipping Included Ships express even on standard orders
- Rewards on Every Order Earn points with each purchase
Care snapshot
Nymphaea zenkeri Red, commonly known as Red Tiger Lotus, is a spectacular bulb plant that brings dramatic red and burgundy coloration to any aquascape. This stunning species features large, arrow-shaped leaves with distinctive mottled patterns that create exceptional visual impact as they unfurl from the bulb. With its ability to produce both submerged and floating leaves, it's a versatile and captivating choice for aquascapers seeking a bold, statement plant that serves as a stunning centerpiece.
Why Choose Nymphaea zenkeri Red?
- Spectacular red and burgundy leaves create dramatic focal points
- Distinctive mottled patterns add unique visual interest
- Large arrow-shaped leaves provide bold texture and scale
- Versatile growth with both submerged and floating leaves
- Easy to grow from bulb - perfect for beginners
- Creates stunning contrast with green plants
Care Requirements
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Light: Medium to High
- CO2: Not required (beneficial for faster growth)
- Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
- Placement: Midground to Background (centerpiece)
- Substrate: Nutrient-rich substrate essential for bulb
Expert Tips
Nymphaea zenkeri Red is a rewarding bulb plant that creates dramatic impact with minimal effort. Plant the bulb partially buried in nutrient-rich substrate, leaving the top third exposed to prevent rot. The plant will quickly send up large, colorful leaves that unfurl to reveal stunning red and burgundy coloration with distinctive mottled patterns. Position as a centerpiece or focal point where the large leaves can be fully appreciated.
This plant performs best under medium to high lighting, which enhances the vibrant red coloration. While CO2 injection is not required, it will accelerate growth and leaf production. The plant naturally produces both submerged and floating leaves - regularly remove floating leaves if you prefer to maintain submerged growth and prevent shading of other plants. Nutrient-rich substrate is essential for healthy bulb development and vigorous growth. Regular fertilization, particularly with root tabs, supports robust leaf production and intense coloration. The moderate to fast growth rate means the plant can quickly fill space and create impact. Propagation occurs through daughter bulbs that form around the main bulb. This versatile plant works beautifully as a specimen in nature aquariums or as a bold accent in Dutch-style layouts.
All plants are shipped carefully packaged to ensure they arrive in excellent condition. Live plants may vary slightly in size and colour from photos. Supplied as a single bulb.
Acclimation: Float the bag in your tank for 15 minutes to equalise temperature, then plant directly in substrate.
Lighting: Most aquatic plants thrive at 0.5+ watts/litre with 6500K colour temperature for 6-8 hours/day.
Fertilising: Use a quality liquid fertiliser weekly. Root tabs help heavy root feeders.
CO₂: While not essential for most plants, CO₂ injection dramatically improves growth and colour.
Trimming: Regular trimming encourages bushy, healthy growth and prevents shading of lower leaves.
Dispatch: We dispatch Monday to Thursday from Perth, WA. Orders placed before 1 PM AWST ship same day.
Live shipping: Live plants and fish ship via Express Post with insulation and heat/cool packs as needed.
Live arrival guarantee: If your live order arrives unhealthy, send a photo within 4 hours of delivery for replacement or refund.
Tracking: You'll receive a tracking number by email as soon as your order ships.
Hardware & consumables: 30-day return window for unopened items in original packaging.
Live items: Cannot be returned but are covered by our healthy arrival guarantee.
Refunds: Processed within 5 business days of receiving your return.
Need help? Contact us — we're real aquascapers based in Perth.
Will my plant survive the trip in summer/winter?
Yes — we ship via Express Post and add insulation plus heat or cool packs as needed. Most orders arrive within 1–3 business days. If anything goes wrong, our healthy plant guarantee kicks in.
Are these plants beginner friendly?
It depends on the species. Check the Care guide tab — we've tagged each plant with difficulty (Easy / Medium / Advanced). Most of our range is suited to beginners with basic lighting.
Do I need CO₂ for this plant?
Most aquatic plants we stock will grow without injected CO₂, but growth is dramatically faster and more vibrant with CO₂. The Care guide tab indicates whether CO₂ is required, recommended or optional.
Will it have snails or pesticides?
No. All our plants are submerged-grown in controlled conditions — no pesticides, no algae hitchhikers, no snail eggs.
What if my plant arrives damaged?
Send a photo to us within 4 hours of delivery and we'll replace or refund. That's our healthy plant guarantee.
You might also like
Customer reviews
FAQs
Most stem plants come in bunches of 4-6 stems. Thicker-stemmed species typically come in portions of 2-3 stems. Mosses and some carpet plants are supplied as 5x5cm portions. Exact portion details are listed in the product description for each plant.
All live plants are shipped express via Australia Post to ensure they arrive fresh and healthy. We carefully package plants to protect them during transit, even if you select standard shipping at checkout
We guarantee your plants will arrive healthy. If they don't, contact us within 24 hours of delivery with photos, and we'll replace or refund them. See our Refund Policy for details.
CO2 requirements vary by species. Check the Care Information tab for this specific plant. Many of our plants can thrive without CO2, though growth may be slower.
Most of our aquarium plants are grown submerged (underwater), which means they adapt faster to your tank and are less likely to melt. This gives you stronger roots and instant success. The exception is our terrarium plants, which are grown emersed (above water)
Due to the perishable nature of live plants, we cannot accept change-of-mind returns once dispatched. However, our 24-hour arrival guarantee covers any plants that arrive in poor condition.
Orders typically dispatch within 1-2 business days. Delivery times are 1-2 days for WA and 2-4 days for interstate. All plants ship express for freshness.